Regrets
by Lady Fellshot
Summary: A speculation on the Seldarine's inaction


Disclaimer: Aillesel Seldarie, do I even need one anymore? My Realms will soon carry only a passing resemblance to canon Realms. Down with WotC's Realms, LONG LIVE MINE!! is hauled off to funny farm Oh yeah, there are some spoilers for the Lady Penitent books.

--)--

He watched his daughter explain her grand scheme to him with animation and vigor. He had caught on to what his dear grown up little girl wanted to accomplish with her ploy and sacrifice very early on. In fact, he remembered being treated to a similar idea a few short years ago. Kill or undermine her traitorous mother, his former love. Redeem her chosen people and bring them back to the light.

He shut his eyes in frustration. Those with faces of Shadow could be redeemed, he knew. He had delegated the task to his court's heart warden. That one had so far shown good judgment regarding where to bestow her blessing. A scout here, a runaway guard there. Those who truly wanted to return to the fold and the wholeness of elven community. They found the sense of it returned to them in trickles. The trickles eventually became rivers and all was restored to those who truly sought it. His heart warden showed a special inclination towards couples in love, but that was to be expected. The warden's methods were gentle, gradual and sure. _Nothing_ like the upheaval his daughter proposed.

The first time there had been a chance that his daughter might succeed with her coup, if she chose the right agent. Someone who would strike sure and without hesitation. He had suggested two males who would likely do the task if approached. One among the living and one of the spirits. The spirit would have been especially eager to do so. The living soul would have needed some guidance, but also would have struck sure and swift when the time came. His daughter chose a female who lacked the poise and courage to carry out the business at hand, who had turned in her hand and bitten her twice.

_Favoritism towards her female followers_, he thought sadly. _She treads in her mother's steps. All the way to this convoluted game she wishes to play now. For what? To force a redemption on those who do not want to understand what it means to have an elven soul? To pretend that the problems within her followers were nothing more than a touch of demonic bloodline, diluted by fifty generations?_ The sheer ridiculousness of that assumption floored him. _She wishes to accomplish by force a change that should take place within the heart._

He realized that his daughter had stopped talking. He opened his eyes and found her looking at him expectantly. She wanted his support as she had asked before. He looked at her and recalled a similar scene prior to her birth with her mother.

Her mother had taken his support as a sign of weakness and plotted her grandiose treachery. His daughter took his support and earnestly let her plans collapse on themselves, fizzling away to nothing.

He took a deep breath and said, "No child. You tried this once before whilst your mother slept and it did not work. You must reach for hearts, male and female alike, not feats of arms, if you wish to undermine your mother's control."

"But it will work!" she exclaimed, "I know it will!"

"It will work for a few and then what, daughter?" he countered and thought, _I have already lost her. She is going to try anyway, regardless of what advice I might give_. "I cannot support this sacrifice of yours. I do not want to lose you."

"I will be reborn!"

"Child, you cannot be certain of that." Sadness, regret and worry mingled in his voice. "With your mother awake, you must wage a silent war of hearts."

"She understands nothing but force," his daughter cried vehemently.

"You should not answer in kind," He replied. "You have been walking an edge for a while now, daughter. I fear you will fall with this next step."

"I can do it! I know I can!" she laughed. "I will present you with redeemed dark elves soon, Father. I will prove myself." She took off running before he could answer, her long sliver hair trailing behind her like a pennant of moonlight.

"But you do not have to prove yourself to me, Eilistraee," Corellon whispered to the gentle Arvandor breeze. The wind would carry his words to her. "You never had to."

--)--

Author's note: I really don't feel like explaining this much, but I did wonder why Corellon might not have taken up arms against Lolth during the Silence and why there isn't a peep out of him during the Lady Penitent malarkey. Thus, the above nonsense.

Leave a note if you wish, gentle reader.


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